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• Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)

  The Preboot Execution Environment or PXE (commonly pronounced as pixie) is a client-server environment that enables network computers to boot over the network interface card (NIC), instead of from a CD-ROM or hard disk. Continue Reading

• Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

  Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is a set of specifications from Microsoft for consolidating the management of devices and applications in a network from Windows computing systems. Continue Reading

• Ctrl-Alt-Delete

  On a personal computer with the Microsoft Windows operating system, Control+Alt+Delete is the combination of the Ctrl key, the Alt key, and Del key that a user can press at the same time to terminate an application task or to reboot the operating ... Continue Reading

• dynamic link library (DLL)

  A dynamic link library (DLL) is a collection of small programs that larger programs can load when needed to complete specific tasks. Continue Reading

• Learn to work with the Microsoft Graph Security API

  The API assists organizations that want to connect their security systems with a programmatic way to produce quicker results when performing investigations. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)
  • Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)
  • Ctrl-Alt-Delete
  • dynamic link library (DLL)

  • GUID (global unique identifier)
  • Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
  • active directory
  • blue screen of death (BSOD)

  View All Definitions

• Get to know the new Exchange admin center features

  After a lengthy development process, Microsoft unveiled its new admin portal for Exchange Online for a more consistent look with other management areas in Office 365.Continue Reading

• Working with the Microsoft Defender for Identity portal

  The security product, formerly Azure Advanced Threat Protection, taps into the cloud to uncover suspicious activity across the on-premises network.Continue Reading

• How to assign Microsoft Teams policies with PowerShell

  The admin center lags behind PowerShell when it comes to Microsoft Teams policy management due to the automation tool's superior logging and visibility features.Continue Reading

• GUID (global unique identifier)

  A GUID (globally unique identifier) is a 128-bit text string that represents an identification (ID).Continue Reading

• Reduce your risk with Exchange Server security best practices

  The unique nature of your on-premises Exchange Server makes it an attractive target for threat actors. Take these recommended steps to avoid being the next breach victim.Continue Reading

• Working with PowerShell Secret Management and Secret Vault

  The two new PowerShell modules put API keys, credentials and other secrets under lock and key to protect sensitive information in automation and remoting scenarios.Continue Reading

• Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)

  Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) is a server role in Active Directory that allows admins to manage and store information about resources from a network, as well as application data, in a distributed database.Continue Reading

• What admins need to know about CMG client authentication

  A System Center cloud management gateway keeps your organization's devices in compliance and running as they should, but which authentication option would work best for you?Continue Reading

• Use command-line options to edit registries with regedit.exe

  Did you know this venerable Windows GUI tool has several switches for basic registry editing tasks? See what tweaks Microsoft inserted in regedit for administrative use.Continue Reading

• Reveal Windows file server permissions with PowerShell's help

  An unauthorized permissions change on a file share could lock out other users. Learn how to automate a report that shows permissions on the server to find these problems fast.Continue Reading

• Avoid data overflows with PowerShell Remove-Item

  The cmdlet helps delete misplaced files and outdated documents, but you should tune the code to optimize execution and avoid errors when the work entails many files and folders.Continue Reading

• Get a grasp on using group managed service accounts

  When you create a group managed service account, it relieves some administrative duties and bolsters the security related to passwords for services in a Windows environment.Continue Reading

• active directory

  Active Directory (AD) is Microsoft's proprietary directory service.Continue Reading

• Use PnP PowerShell commands to fortify SharePoint management

  A new PowerShell module pares down the work required to handle administrative tasks on several Office 365 services, such as SharePoint Online and Microsoft Teams.Continue Reading

• SCCM driver management strategies for the modern world

  Now that more users work remotely, administrators should evolve with the times and understand the range of options to deploy device drivers more efficiently.Continue Reading

• blue screen of death (BSOD)

  Officially called the stop screen, or stop error, the blue screen of death (BSOD) is a most unwanted error, second only to malware or ransomware in indicating that a user is in for a very bad day.Continue Reading

• NTFS (NT File System)

  NTFS, which stands for 'NT file system' and the 'New Technology File System,' is the file system that the Windows NT operating system (OS) uses for storing and retrieving files on hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs).Continue Reading

• Generate a Windows file server audit via PowerShell

  Learn how to generate a detailed report that uncovers unusual activity by users on a Windows file share without having to manually investigate every file and folder.Continue Reading

• Azure File Sync service puts pep in hybrid storage setups

  Microsoft's Azure Files offering alleviates traditional support efforts and hardware costs. Using this additional service can improve performance and keep end users happy.Continue Reading

• Cut coding corners with return values in PowerShell functions

  In certain instances, a return keyword is a good option to exit the current scope of a function and to reduce the bloat from a PowerShell script.Continue Reading

• Build a Windows Server 2019 file server cluster for stability

  Learn how to use the clustering tools provided by the Microsoft server OS to create a highly available file server to avoid downtime if disaster strikes.Continue Reading

• Learn to use a PowerShell call function from another script

  Don't use the same lines of code in several places in your scripts. Learn how to use functions and reap the benefits of a more streamlined approach.Continue Reading

• Level up with these advanced PowerShell commands to copy files

  Take a closer look at Copy-Item cmdlet coding examples to build advanced PowerShell scripts that copy files with safety measures to ensure the duplicates reach their destinations.Continue Reading

• SharePoint Online PowerShell commands for admin tasks

  You can avoid the admin portal when you pick up your PowerShell game and learn how to manage cloud-based resources in Office 365, including the SharePoint collaboration platform.Continue Reading

• Learn how to start using Docker on Windows Server 2019

  Getting started with Windows containers requires an understanding of basic concepts and how to work with Docker Engine. Orin Thomas' book covers the topics admins need to know.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

  Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a series of Microsoft components that allow native Linux 64-bit Executable and Linkable Format (ELF64) binaries to run on the Windows kernel in the Windows 10 operating system (OS).Continue Reading

• Using the Office 365 Recommended Configuration Analyzer

  Learn how this free PowerShell-based utility digs into your Office 365 security setup and offers guidance for administrators looking to stop the latest online threats.Continue Reading

• Build a Power Automate flow using the Graph API

  Administrators of Office 365 or Azure platforms can benefit from using newer Microsoft software technologies to handle many jobs, such as automating tasks and generating reports.Continue Reading

• How to work with Azure DNS zones

  Microsoft's hosting service for DNS domains is an option for organizations with a heavy Azure investment that want the benefits associated with a cloud service.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certification

  Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certification is the name of a suite of entry-level certifications offered by Microsoft that signify fundamental technology knowledge in those who earn it.Continue Reading

• Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)

  Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) is a Windows product that enables the management, deployment and security of devices and applications across an enterprise.Continue Reading

• What admins should know about Microsoft Windows Terminal

  There's a new terminal that puts a different spin on the traditional command-line tools used by Windows administrators with extensive functionality and customization options.Continue Reading

• Shore up defenses with help from Office 365 logs

  Logging on Microsoft's productivity platform used in conjunction with other tools can form an effective shield from malicious actors looking to find a way into your organization.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows Azure Active Directory (Windows Azure AD)

  Microsoft Windows Azure Active Directory (Windows Azure AD or Azure AD) is a cloud service that provides administrators with the ability to manage end-user identities and access privileges.Continue Reading

• Implement simple server monitoring with PowerShell

  Administrators who build a server monitoring framework with PowerShell can develop their own customized checks for deeper insights into their environment.Continue Reading

• Office 365 Advanced eDiscovery goes beyond search basics

  Microsoft streamlines the efforts to find pertinent documents and other data with help from the artificial intelligence embedded in the platform's analytics technology.Continue Reading

• PowerShell 7 remoting expands management horizons

  Connecting to different operating systems to manage them from PowerShell requires SSH setup, which is less onerous in the version 7 release.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Defender ATP taps into cloud for added protection

  Enterprises that want to wrap up their systems in an extra layer of security have the option for more enhanced protection that integrates with other Microsoft products.Continue Reading

• Try an Azure Site Recovery setup for DR needs

  Administrators who need some assurance that mission-critical workloads will stay up when trouble strikes can try out Microsoft's cloud-based disaster recovery service.Continue Reading

• Learn how to create a scheduled task with PowerShell

  When you need a reliable way to create a scheduled task, you can use PowerShell’s automation capabilities to reduce the likelihood of keying in mistakes.Continue Reading

• Use a Windows Server 2019 domain controller or go to Azure?

  Administrators must dig into the details to see if a swap from on-premises Active Directory to the Azure equivalent makes sense for their organization.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2019 RDS updates a boon for remote work needs

  Enhanced security, improved end-user experience and cloud integration are just a few of the perks for organizations that move to Windows Server 2019 RDS.Continue Reading

• Lighten up and install Exchange 2019 on Windows Server Core

  Organizations looking to tighten up security in every aspect of their infrastructure now have the option to deploy their on-premises messaging system on Server Core 2019.Continue Reading

• Find and lock down lax Windows share permissions

  With help from PowerShell, you can identify the shares that need adjustments across your infrastructure then use a script to fix them to protect sensitive data.Continue Reading

• PowerShell ForEach-Object cmdlet picks up speed

  Administrators get extra incentive to switch to PowerShell 7 after an existing cmdlet acquires a performance enhancement to run multiple iterations in parallel.Continue Reading

• Avoid common pain points when migrating to Exchange Online

  Every Exchange Server configuration is unique, which makes a move to hosted email in Office 365 a complex undertaking, but some stumbling blocks are more frequent than others.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Software Assurance (SA)

  Microsoft Software Assurance is a software maintenance program that helps organizations gain access to the latest software versions and releases, without incurring additional licensing costs.Continue Reading

• Update makes Storage Migration Service more cloud-friendly

  The latest version of the Windows Admin Center comes with a refinement to one of its tools to make moving a file server to Azure less of a challenge.Continue Reading

• Active Directory forest (AD forest)

  An Active Directory forest is the highest level of organization within Active Directory.Continue Reading

• Increase PowerShell security with help from AppLocker

  Learn how to curb the native abilities of the expansive scripting tool in the Windows OS to prevent your users from being unwitting participants in a cyberattack.Continue Reading

• Learn to manage Office 365 ProPlus updates

  The traditional Microsoft Office applications you get from Office 365 might appear to be the same on the surface, but how you administer them differs in several key ways.Continue Reading

• wbadmin

  Wbadmin is an elevated command prompt that allows administrators or backup operators to backup and restore an operating system (OS), volume, file, folder or application.Continue Reading

• ISA (Industry Standard Architecture)

  ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) is a standard bus (computer interconnection) architecture that was associated with the IBM AT motherboard.Continue Reading

• Updated Exchange Online PowerShell module adds reliability, speed

  Microsoft assists Exchange Online administrators who rely on PowerShell by reworking the underlying functionality of several cmdlets used to manage the hosted email platform.Continue Reading

• PowerShell

  PowerShell is an object-oriented automation engine and scripting language with an interactive command-line shell that Microsoft developed to help IT professionals configure systems and automate administrative tasks.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows PowerShell DSC (Desired State Configuration)

  Desired State Configuration (DSC) is a feature in PowerShell 4.0 and above that helps administrators to automate the configuration of Windows and Linux operating systems.Continue Reading

• 25 basic PowerShell commands for Windows administrators

  Getting started with PowerShell or just need a quick refresher? This tip lists the most common PowerShell commands, with details on when to use them.Continue Reading

• 5 PowerShell tools to help simplify admin tasks and support

  Learn how systems admins, software developers and engineers can use tools, such as Cimitra Software, to build better PowerShell scripts to manage and automate repetitive tasks.Continue Reading

• 7 PowerShell courses to help hone skills for all levels of expertise

  Online PowerShell courses, such as the seven examined here, offer systems administrators and other users basic tutorials as well as more advanced courses.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE)

  The Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE) is a graphical user interface and front-end hosting application for Windows PowerShell.Continue Reading

• Deploy and configure WSUS 2019 for Windows patching needs

  You can update your Microsoft software with a few tools, but Windows Server Update Services is the go-to for many administrators who want a reliable patch deployment platform.Continue Reading

• What's new with PowerShell error handling?

  PowerShell 7 introduces a new cmdlet to assist administrators who wanted a better way to find out what broke in the scripts they wrote to manage their systems.Continue Reading

• PowerShell 7 features admins should examine

  The next version of the administrative tool introduces several features, including a new cmdlet to assist with troubleshooting errors.Continue Reading

• How to install the Windows Server 2019 VPN

  A VPN prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to critical resources in your organization. This tutorial covers the deployment on Windows Server 2019.Continue Reading

• Build a PowerShell logging function for troubleshooting

  A basic administrative skill is checking over logs to find out why something broke. Learn how to build a proper logging mechanism to catch errors for diagnostic purposes.Continue Reading

• How to set up Windows Server 2019 virtual network encryption

  Microsoft tightens the security on its virtualization platform, even if a breach occurs, to prevent intruders from eavesdropping on traffic between VMs.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Exchange Server

  Microsoft Exchange Server is Microsoft's email, calendaring, contact, scheduling and collaboration platform. It is deployed on the Windows Server operating system for business use.Continue Reading

• Using the Windows Admin Center Azure services feature

  Microsoft wants you to add more of its Azure cloud services to your data center by using its new administrative tool to streamline the setup process.Continue Reading

• PowerShell tutorials capture attention of admins in 2019

  Interest in automation continues to trend upward for administrators of Windows systems, particularly when it involves PowerShell.Continue Reading

• Using wsusscn2.cab to find missing Windows updates

  Avoid unnecessary security headaches by using the Windows Update offline scan file and PowerShell to ensure your systems have all their Microsoft patches.Continue Reading

• How to install and test Windows Server 2019 IIS

  The installation process for the Windows Server 2019 IIS role is fairly straightforward. This tutorial explains how to stand up the web server and check its ports and bindings.Continue Reading

• Learn PowerShell scripting using the PSKoans module

  Want to get started with PowerShell automation to manage your Windows systems? Try the PSKoans module to learn as you go through its exercises to build your scripting skills.Continue Reading

• Migrating file servers using Storage Migration Service

  Need to move from Windows Server 2003 and up? The Storage Migration Service in the Windows Admin Center does most of the heavy lifting to make this procedure more routine rather than risky.Continue Reading

• Azure Bastion brings convenience, security to VM management

  This cloud service gets around the problem associated with jump servers and cloaks the identity of your VMs to avoid potential security issues.Continue Reading

• Set up PowerShell script block logging for added security

  Learn how to set up your systems to capture abnormal PowerShell behavior as one way to shore up your defenses.Continue Reading

• Cloud adoption a catalyst for IT modernization in many orgs

  Sloppy and insecure IT procedures that had been overlooked before the cloud arrived must evolve with the times to prevent data exposure and system breaches.Continue Reading

• The future of PowerShell begins to sharpen in focus

  PowerShell's promise as a cross-platform management tool has come a long way, but much work still needs to be done for both Linux and Windows admins to pick up adoption.Continue Reading

• How to work with the WSUS PowerShell module

  The PoshWSUS module automates the process to synchronize and approve Windows updates. You can also use it to perform essential maintenance on the WSUS server.Continue Reading

• Implement automated employee onboarding with PowerShell

  Your time is precious and you shouldn't waste it by clicking through menus to set up a new user. Look at these code examples to put together your own provisioning script.Continue Reading

• Microsoft SCOM (System Center Operations Manager)

  Microsoft's SCOM dashboard uses traffic light color-coding to indicate object health states. Green is healthy, yellow is a warning and red indicates there is a critical issue.The data center administrator can adjust these levels as needed.Continue Reading

• Group Policy Object (GPO)

  Microsoft’s Group Policy Object (GPO) is a collection of Group Policy settings that defines what a system will look like and how it will behave for a defined group of users.Continue Reading

• Azure DevOps (formerly Visual Studio Team Services)

  Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS) -- rebranded as Azure DevOps in 2018 -- is an Azure cloud-hosted extension of Microsoft's Team Foundation Server (TFS) -- now called Azure DvOps -- that assist development teams with special tools and services for ...Continue Reading

• Learn to set up and use PowerShell SSH remoting

  Remoting over SSH in PowerShell Core has some advantages over the traditional Windows PowerShell remoting method, but it will require a fair amount of manual configuration work.Continue Reading

• Internet Information Services (IIS)

  Internet Information Services (IIS) is a flexible, general-purpose web server from Microsoft that runs on Windows systems to serve requested HTML pages or files.Continue Reading

• How to automate patch management in Windows

  Automating Windows updates with PowerShell will ease some of the labor associated with the routine patch deployment process.Continue Reading

• Using the Sysinternals Sysmon tool to check DNS queries

  A recent update to the Sysinternals Sysmon utility adds DNS query logging to give deeper insights into the connections made by your Windows machines.Continue Reading

• Pester tests help pinpoint infrastructure issues

  The Pester testing framework gives IT pros a way to develop sophisticated and consistent testing routines that monitoring tools just can't duplicate.Continue Reading

• Check Office 365 usage reports for user adoption insights

  Microsoft gives administrators access to many Office 365 reports to pinpoint ways to improve user adoption rates and tighten up potential security leaks.Continue Reading

• Use PowerShell printer management for quicker setups

  Don't fiddle with printer configurations and tiresome upkeep work from the GUI when you can automate a lot of the tediousness with PowerShell.Continue Reading

• What's new in hybrid Azure services in Windows Admin Center?

  Trying to get the most out of Azure hybrid services? Discover Microsoft's latest developments to further centralize management in Windows Admin Center.Continue Reading

• Using PowerShell for Azure service principal authentication

  With help from the Azure PowerShell module, you can avoid login prompts and automate the authentication process when using service principals on Microsoft's cloud platform.Continue Reading

• 3 steps to prepare for Exchange updates

  If you dread the process of updating Exchange and the possibility that patches will break the servers, you can take control by putting best practices in place with three steps.Continue Reading

• How to test the PowerShell pending reboot module

  Learn how to check if your machines have pending reboots with a simple PowerShell module to ensure changes to files do not cause stability issues.Continue Reading

• Windows and Linux: What systems administrators need to know

  The lines between Windows Server and Linux continue to blur. Discover what Windows administrators need to know to get up to speed with these new Linux features.Continue Reading

• Tech communities offer more than just a quick fix

  IT professionals who join tech meetups and online communities might find there's more than just troubleshooting help available when they invest their time in a group.Continue Reading